Gerald Coetzee raring to go for the Proteas across all formats after 'a tough few months'
Image: AFP
Gerald Coetzee admits he suffered from 'FOMO' after missing the Proteas' World Test Championship Final success at Lord's and that he remains committed to playing all formats.
The 24-year-old fast bowler has been plagued by various injuries over the past two years, and is set to embark on his latest comeback to the national team during the upcoming T20I Tri-Series against hosts Zimbabwe and New Zealand starting on Monday in Harare.
Coetzee last played for Proteas back in November when he picked up 'a groin niggle" whilst bowling in the second innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Kingsmead.
Scans later revealed that the damage was greater than initially expected with Coetzee being ruled out of the remainder of the home international summer. He returned to play a single match for the Joburg Super Kings during the SA20 before a left hamstring strain curtailed his participation in South Africa's premier domestic competition.
There was renewed hope in February that Coetzee could return for the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan, but after experiencing tightness in his groin while completing his 10 overs at the Centre of Excellence in Pretoria, the Proteas medical team ruled that the symptoms posed an increased risk of significant injury at a higher bowling load forcing the young tearaway to spend further time on the sidelines.
Coetzee's road to recovery has since involved playing four matches in the IPL for Gujarat Titans back in April and now five successive matches for Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket the past month.
The Proteas have already seen fellow injury-prone fast bowler Anrich Nortje opt out of Test cricket to preserve his fragile body for the white-ball formats, but Coetzee has adopted a philosophical approach and believes he still has plenty to offer in all formats of the game.
'I think what I do is for a living, being a fast bowler, I think I've come to understand what happens to us. And it has been a tough few months. But I'm not someone who stands out in that sense.
'I think if you look at the landscape of all the bowlers who bowl high 140s, you know, we all struggle with injuries occasionally. So it's been tough, but I understand the process. I understand what it requires,' Coetzee said.
'I love red ball cricket too much. And I also love one day cricket. I think T20 cricket is just what's most accessible to us. So that's usually when we get a chance to play something, it's been T20 cricket.
'But I love red ball cricket. All my goals I've set for myself are mostly red-ball cricket related. So I love it too much.'
The Proteas' WTC Final success over Australia at Lord's certainly fuelled Coetzee's desire to get back into the Test side.
'I think anyone with a very competitive nature, you know, there was definitely FOMO, but I couldn't stop watching. I was so happy when we won,' he said.
'It was long overdue. I was very happy. You know, me not being there, I did have FOMO naturally.'
Coetzee will most likely share the new-ball with fellow fast bowling returnee Nandre Burger, who has equally struggled with a lumbar stress fracture that limited his playing time for the Proteas.
Burger has also begun his comeback trail via the MLC and will be eager to show that he is also fully recovered.
The duo, of course, possess the X-factor of being able to bowl genuine quick which is a prize asset that needs to be treasured.
Coetzee feels that despite their recent injury setbacks, neither will be holding back when they get the opportunity to be unleashed in the T20I Tri-Series.
'I think both of our nature is not to ease into anything,' he said. 'No, I think we're excited, man. We love cricket.
'We love playing for our country. And whenever we get an opportunity, it doesn't matter who the opposition is, you go out there and try and do your best.
'Like it's tough physically to bowl fast, but I love it. I enjoy it. And I do trust my body to keep doing that.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
TimesLIVE
15 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Proteas coach Conrad goes out with the old and in with the new
'Unfortunately, for Reeza, this is how it has fallen; the other guys give us better options.' Conrad explained the rationale behind the non-selection of Van der Dussen for the ODIs. 'The immediate focus is the T20 World Cup. Rassie is very much in contention for the T20 World Cup. He gives you the option of either batting at the top or batting at three. He's great in a leadership position. 'With the 50-over format, because I've got a bit more time, I'm certainly not going to rule Rassie or any of the older guys out. But because we've got time until 2027, it gives me a chance to blood some of the younger players and then see how they develop. 'And then post the T20 World Cup, we'll probably be in a better position to decide on guys like Rassie and David,' he said. Proteas squads T20: Aiden Markram (captain), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Rassie van der Dussen ODI: Temba Bavuma (captain), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen. Daily Dispatch
Daily Maverick
15 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Proteas look to World Cup ambitions in their white-ball squads to face Australia
Proteas head coach Shukri Conrad's first full-strength white-ball squads indicate the thinking for the upcoming white-ball World Cups, with Reeza Hendricks dropped from the T20I side and Rassie van der Dussen culled from the ODI squad. Proteas all-format head coach Shukri Conrad has selected his first full-strength white-ball squads since taking over the role across formats. Conrad has kept regular captains Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma in their roles as T20I and One-Day International leaders respectively for South Africa's six-match white-ball series against Australia in August. Notably, it's the last squad that Conrad will select solely, across formats, with Cricket South Africa (CSA) appointing Patrick Moroney as convenor of selectors earlier this month, with his role starting officially on 1 August 2025. The 15-player T20 squad is close to what Conrad is looking to take to the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka at the start of next year, with four spinners selected, including Prenelan Subrayen, who will make his debut in the format if selected alongside Nqaba Peter, George Linde and Senuran Muthusamy. Conrad indicated that all four spinners are the front-runners for a spot in next year's T20 World Cup, with Keshav Maharaj, Bjorn Fortuin and Tabraiz Shamsi further down the pecking order. Longer-term view 'The 50-over side is a slightly longer-term view,' Conrad explained. 'Because we've got a couple of years before the 2027 World Cup (at home), but we've got a T20 World Cup happening in a couple of months time.' There are two glaring omissions in the ODI side, however, with Rassie van der Dussen's name only down for the shortest format, while David Miller was not selected in either squad. Despite Conrad saying — in his first press-conference as white-ball head coach — that players unavailable for bilateral series would not be considered for World Cups, Miller is being allowed to play in England's franchise tournament, The Hundred, which coincides with the tour. This is because the agreement with CSA for Miller to play in the tournament was made prior to Conrad's appointment. Van der Dussen, despite being one of the ODI team's most consistent players, seems to have numbered days in the format. The 36-year-old will be 38 when the tournament rolls around. 'I'm certainly not going to rule Rassie or any of the older guys out,' Conrad said. 'But it gives me — because we've got time before the 2027 World Cup — it gives me a chance to blood some of the younger players and then see how they develop. 'Then post the T20 World Cup, we'll probably be in a better position to decide on guys like Rassie and David.' Youngsters Conrad is currently in Zimbabwe with a much younger T20 squad looking to seal a tri-series victory in their final against New Zealand on Saturday. So far, they've lost twice against the Black Caps and won twice against Zimbabwe. 'I'm not making light of any of the other games, but I think the final on Saturday will give us a really good idea of where everybody's at,' Conrad said about the group of players he's been working with in the neighbouring country. 'But I'm really excited about the young talent we've got at our disposal, especially in the T20 format. They're players that can make huge impacts.' Of the youngsters in Zimbabwe, Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis have both cracked the nod for both squads to take on Australia, and Kwena Maphaka is in the T20 side. Thirty-five-year-old Reeza Hendricks, who has the third most runs for South Africa in the shortest format, also looks to have run his last race for the national side, with Saturday's match against New Zealand probably his last. 'Unfortunately, I think there are players that have flown past Reeza,' Conrad said. 'Reeza has been a great performer for South Africa, especially in this format. 'But it's no secret that Aiden Markram and Ryan Rickleton are my preferred opening batters. 'Then it makes it difficult for Razzle (Hendricks) to fit in. Guys that potentially could open the batting and bat in the middle, i.e. Rassie and Lhuan-dre, give you that cover as well if you need an opening bat. 'It's unfortunate that it's fallen this way on Reeza. But I just feel that there are other guys that give us better options.' DM Proteas T20I squad against Australia Aiden Markram (captain, Titans), Corbin Bosch (Titans), Dewald Brevis (Titans), Nandre Burger (Western Province), George Linde (Western Province), Kwena Maphaka (Lions), Senuran Muthusamy (Warriors), Lungi Ngidi (Titans), Nqaba Peter (Lions), Lhuan-dre Pretorius (Titans), Kagiso Rabada ( Lions), Ryan Rickelton (Lions), Tristan Stubbs (Warriors), Prenelan Subrayen (Dolphins) and Rassie van der Dussen (Lions). Proteas ODI squad against Australia Temba Bavuma (captain, Lions), Corbin Bosch (Titans), Matthew Breetzke (Warriors), Dewald Brevis (Titans), Nandre Burger (Western Province), Tony de Zorzi ( Western Province), Aiden Markram (Titans), Senuran Muthusamy (Warriors), Keshav Maharaj ( Dolphins), Wiaan Mulder (Lions), Lungi Ngidi (Titans), Lhuan-dre Pretorius (Titans), Kagiso Rabada (Lions), Ryan Rickelton (Lions), Tristan Stubbs (Warriors), and Prenelan Subrayen (Dolphins)
The Citizen
17 hours ago
- The Citizen
Conrad will be ‘disappointed' if Proteas don't put up a fight against Black Caps
South Africa will meet New Zealand in the T20 tri-series final in Harare on Saturday. Having used the T20 International tri-series as an experimental exercise in his first white-ball campaign in charge, coach Shukri Conrad says the Proteas will field their best team against New Zealand on Saturday as they set their sights on overall victory. Though they have defeated hosts Zimbabwe twice, South Africa have lost both their matches thus far against New Zealand in the T20 International tri-series in Harare. However, with a second-string squad (some senior players are being rested), Conrad felt they could take a lot from the experience gained during the two-week tri-series. Rubin Hermann and Dewald Brevis, who have played 10 T20 International matches between them, are the team's top run-scorers in the series, while spinner Senuran Muthusamy, who has played two T20 Internationals, has been the squad's highest wicket taker. 'We've got a final to play on Saturday and that's the big match. Not making light of any of the other games, but I think the final will give us a really good idea of where everybody is at,' Conrad said. 'But I'm really excited by the young talent we've got at our disposal, especially in the T20 format. They are players who can make huge impacts and I'm really looking forward to the next while with them to see how they develop.' Hitting back against Kiwis Having replaced former limited overs coach Rob Walter (now the head coach of New Zealand), Conrad said he had been cautious in his approach after expanding his responsibilities beyond the national Test team. He was confident, however, that the SA side could beat their higher-ranked opponents in the tri-series decider tomorrow. Despite missing some key players, Conrad felt they had learned enough as a unit over the last couple of weeks to hit back by beating the Black Caps. 'It's been refreshing. The young players that have come in, seeing how they have taken to the environment and seeing their performances,' he said. 'It's been largely experimental. For me, I've sat back, and obviously observed and watched a lot, and tinkered here and there, but it was always going to be about this weekend's final. 'I'll be disappointed if we don't put up a bold showing and try get one over New Zealand.'
